Veronica plant named ‘Aquamarine’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of  Veronica  plant named ‘Aquamarine’, characterized by its tall, upright and uniform plant habit; vigorous growth habit; strong stems; freely flowering habit; and violet-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Veronica spicata cultivarAquamarine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronicaplant, botanically known as Veronica spicata, and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name Aquamarine.

The new Veronica is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador. The objective of thebreeding program is to develop new dark blue-colored cultivars ofVeronica with good stem and foliage quality.

The new Veronica plant originated from a cross-pollination of aproprietary selection of Veronica spicata identified as Code 07, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection ofVeronica spicata, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newVeronica was discovered by the Inventor in August, 1999 in a controlledenvironment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecaudor.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by cuttings in a controlledenvironment in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador since April, 2000, hasshown that the unique features of this new Veronica are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Aquamarine have not been observed under allpossible environmental and cultural conditions. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Aquamarine’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Aquamarine’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Tall, upright and uniform plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Strong stems.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Violet-colored flowers.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the newVeronica are taller, more vigorous and have longer inflorescences.

Plants of the new Veronica can be compared to plants of the Veronicacultivar Amethyst, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No.10/888,914. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in El Quinche,Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Veronica differed from plants ofthe cultivar Amethyst in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Veronica were taller than plants of the        cultivar Amethyst.    -   2. Plants of the new Veronica had shorter inflorescences and        smaller flowers than plants of the cultivar Amethyst.

Plants of the new Veronica can also be compared to plants of theVeronica cultivar Verona, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in El Quinche, Pichincha, Ecuador, plants of the new Veronicadiffered from plants of the cultivar Verona in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Veronica were more vigorous than plants of        the cultivar Verona.    -   2. Plants of the new Veronica were taller than plants of the        cultivar Verona.    -   3. Plants of the new Veronica had larger leaves than plants of        the cultivar Verona.    -   4. Plants of the new Veronica had shorter inflorescences than        plants of the cultivar Verona.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Veronica, showing the colors as true as it is reasonalypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Veronica.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringstem of‘Aquamarine’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used in theaforementioned photograph and for the following description were grownfor about four to six months under outdoor field conditions whichclosely approximate commercial production conditions during the summerin Guayllabamba, Ecuador. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 12 to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from7 to 12° C.

-   Botanical classification: Veronica spicata cultivar Aquamarine.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Veronica            spicata identified as Code 07, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Veronica            spicata, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 10 to 14 days at 17 to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four to five            weeks at 17 to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; freely branching; color,            161CA.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Perennial flowering plant; tall, upright and uniform            plant habit; inverted triangle; vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 134 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 27.5 cm.        -   Flowering stem description.—Quantity per plant: About four            flowering stems per plant develop per year. Length: About            120 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Internode length: About            5.8 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146D.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:            About 15.5 cm. Width: About 5 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Serrate to biserrate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; rugose.            Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing foliage, upper            surface: 137A. Developing foliage, lower surface: 138A.            Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A. Fully expanded            foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper and lower            surfaces: 146D. Petioles: Length: About 2 cm. Diameter:            About 2 mm. Color: 146D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Appearance.—Single salverform flowers; flowers arranged on            terminal racemes. Flowers face mostly outwardly to drooping.            Flowers not persistent.        -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit, about 303            flowers develop per raceme.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower year-round in            Ecuador.        -   Fragrance.—Sweet.        -   Flower longevity.—On the plant: About three weeks. As a cut            flower: About two weeks.        -   Inforescence length.—About 13 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2.4 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 6 mm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 1.2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Ellipsoidal. Color: N88A.        -   Corolla.—Petal lobes per flower: About four; fused at the            base. Length: About 7.5 mm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:            Salverform. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surface: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When opening, upper and lower surfaces: N88B. Fully opened,            upper and lower surfaces: N88B; color becoming closer to            N199A to N199B with development.        -   Calyx.—Sepal lobes per flower: About four, fused at base.            Arrangement: Rotate. Length: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About            1.8 mm. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color: When opening and            fully opened, upper surface: 138B. When opening and fully            opened, lower surface: 138B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.5 mm. Diameter: About 1.8 mm.            Angle: About 58° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Color:            146D.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 0.9 mm. Diameter: About 0.25 mm.            Angle: About 28° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Color:            N77A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two.            Anther shape: Elliptic; curved. Anther length: About 1 mm.            Anther color: N88C. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:            12B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Style length: About            7 mm. Style color: N88C. Stigma shape: Roughly ovoid. Stigma            color: Darker than N88B. Ovary color: 145A.        -   Fruit.—Quantity per flower: One. Length: About 3 mm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Hairy, crustaceous. Color:            N199C.        -   Seed.—Quantity per fruit: About 11. Length: About 1 mm.            Diameter: About 0.75 mm. Color: N199D.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Veronica have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Veronica.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Veronica are tolerant to    temperatures from about 7 to 30° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant named ‘Aquamarine’, asillustrated and described.